Mum is Home

 One of the things found while at Aunt Darlene's were mum's ashes. So, I proceeded to make plans for scattering them. A place she spent a lot of time at were two little ponds called, logically enough, Twin Ponds. It isn't far from the house mum grew up in, the one Aunt Dar has now, so I walked down and put ashes in different areas. The far pond from the one in the picture, under the bridge, and where the ponds empty out into a bit of a falls. 

To put mum's ashes in Pike Lake, I wanted to do something different. I found and made origami envelopes from dissolving paper. The stuff I used worked, but there is also another brand I couldn't find at the last minute. The envelopes didn't lock as well as I'd hoped, they needed stickers. Dissolving stickers DO exist, they are made by Ball for canning. 

I timed how long it would take for a small bit of paper to dissolve. There was a smidge of residue left after 21 seconds, but I was incredibly impressed! 

The best part of these envelopes of ashes was being able to write on them. Uncle Bill and Joanie weren't able to be there, but I stuck a note on one envelope from them anyway! 

You can see how the envelopes came apart, but they held together long enough to get the ashes away from the dock and into the water. Much more efficient than paper cups! 

I took the remainder out onto the lake with Chris via jet ski. He chose some nearby fishing sites for me to skim the envelopes across and into. The rest were in a baggie, those were just poured in normally as he drove around. 

I'm glad mum is finally at rest in one of her very favorite places in all the world. As I read through her journals, she visited MN often and much of her time was at, on, or in the lake. One of the things she was certain to do almost as soon as she landed in the area was get her MN fishing license. Aunt Darlene was often in charge of me while mum and my dad, Harry, fished. She's come full circle. (the chairs in the b/w photo at the top of the stairs are still at the lake, hopefully to be passed on to someone else in the area who wants to refurbish them! I wish I could have brought them back..)

Good things!

The rain makes the birds braver than usual. Even the chickadees were fluttering around the feeder. They didn't get too close to mum, but the nuthatches were great fun. 

THIS was not a good thing, but it is sort of funny. I went out searching for this paper several times on Sunday. Every hour, I went and looked and couldn't find it. Do you see it????? It is wrapped in orange. The newspaper folk seem to not know where the box is. It has only been inside it once in the last week! 

 THIS is the VERY BEST THING EVER! Yes, I am shouting. I am so excited to have a library card for Kenai again!!!

 I have several of this author in Oregon. AND the ones next to  her books--Peck. I was glad to see Alaskan stories have a state motif on them. I can't remember the authors of all the ones I read as a teen!!!!

 This is one of my favorite authors. I was so glad to see some of her work was still around. I'm looking for another one by her. I also have a book coming via the mail from a different part of Alaska. I do adore books!!!!!! (in case anyone wondered!)

These are from Oregon. Jon and Steve are turning this old horse trailer into a place to store firewood and some other things. 

Jon's newest toy. He calls it Bob, which reminds me of his grandpa. Rod used to call white cats 'Whitey' and black ones 'Blackie' and so on! 

Jon is coming to visit Alaska this next week. More updates as we get them! 

 

May moves into June

May ended with a couple of rather lovely days. I didn't get out but one of them--I am very thankful I did! 

Ducks!!!! (Goldeneyes)

 Mum was given some raspberry plants by a family near here. I need to plant them.

The second of June we saw babies on the lake!!! I think, but am not entirely positive, they are green winged teals. I decided to walk to the point on our side of the lake and barely got 15 feet on the lake shore before almost stepping on this family! I need to have better reaction time, I forgot how to use my cell phone camera and almost didn't get these shots! 

 Mama duck was VERY put out with me. I was watching where I was going and I totally didn't see them til they exploded almost underfoot!!! Mama played wounded duck for quite a while. I retreated in quick order. Later, I went out in the kayak and didn't see any babies. And it was VERY VERY VERY cold!!! I had on a tank top with the life jacket and should have hand on a sweatshirt!

 I need to dig a channel in the lake. The kayak is mired in muck. I had to scoot it up far enough so I could exit into the goo. Last summer, this would have been water.

 Before I went out on the lake (that was just after 9 pm), I dashed to town to give JaLeen the flowers mum asked me to buy yesterday. Mum was fully intending on attending the dance recital, but felt really horrible at 4 pm when I woke her to see if she wanted to get ready.

I didn't get to see JaLeen, but I did see Janet and Lee and Connie and Connie's mom and Jim and a few others! Janet and Lee took photos after-I thought JaLeen did hip-hop. She does jazz. I can't remember exactly what Janet said hip-hop was like, but I did bring her two tylenol cuz she said she forgot hers!